


Romance of the Plastic Scenes

by endlcss_possibilities



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-09-18 08:10:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16991244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/endlcss_possibilities/pseuds/endlcss_possibilities
Summary: Chase wasn’t really sure how he’d ended up at this point.He had seen enough movies to be skeptical about all of this. His friend hadn’t known what price these people had paid to receive these miracles (because that’s what they were), and Chase knew that most of these deals often ended up with the person getting more than they bargained for in what they received and not in the good kind of way.Yet here he was, desperate enough to seek out this person who lived in this sad, desolate neighborhood and ask them for the impossible.





	1. Chapter 1

Chase wasn’t really sure how he’d ended up at this point.

He bundled up further into his hoodie, shoving his hands into his pockets to make sure that his phone and wallet were still there.

Could never be too sure in this place.

“This place” was a particularly shady neighborhood where there were rumors of fae and mythical beings living.

Chase could see how people would think that. The buildings were all very close together and provided a menacing backdrop to the clusters of people grouped outside. Some were gathered around barrel fires, and some were trying to peddle their wares, though Chase wasn’t sure he wanted to know what kind of things these people were selling.

The place he was looking for, however, was not on the street. It was in a certain building, smushed in among the short, squatted houses and other dilapidated buildings.

Chase pulled his hand from a pocket to again double check the number of the building that he was looking for. He was pretty sure that he had it memorized at this point, but again, one could never be too sure. The buildings seemed to blend together and he’d taken so many turns that it felt like he was in the middle of a maze.

A person had to be extremely desperate to do what he was about to attempt, maybe had to be mad to try it.

But Chase  _was_  desperate, felt like he’d exhausted every other option before he’d even dared to think about trying this one.

A friend had told him about it, about a person who was simply known as “The Doctor”, who was supposed to be able to grant wishes to people who could afford it. Chase’s friend had mentioned that he knew someone who had managed to succeed in getting his paralyzed legs fixed, and another person who had somehow managed to get their dead wife brought back to life.

Now Chase had seen enough movies to be skeptical about all of this. His friend hadn’t known what price these people had paid to receive these miracles (because that’s what they were), and Chase knew that most of these deals often ended up with the person getting more than they bargained for in what they received and not in the good kind of way.

Yet here he was, desperate enough to seek out this person who lived in this sad, desolate neighborhood and ask them for the impossible.

Checking the building number yet again, Chase peered up at the buildings that were in front of him. He’d ended up at a dead end, yet the two buildings had the numbers that were right before and right after the number he was looking for.

“What the hell?” Chase muttered, checking the number yet again. His friend had assured him that the place was correct after much multiple checking, but somehow it didn’t seem to exist. “Just my luck.”

“Are you lost friend?” Chase spun around to see a man leaning against the railing of the stairs of one of the buildings.

Stairs that definitely hadn’t been there before…


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Are you lost friend?” Chase spun around to see a man leaning against the railing of the stairs of one of the buildings.
> 
> Stairs that definitely hadn’t been there before…

“Depends on who’s asking,” Chase said warily.

“Who do you  _want_  to be asking? You look like you were looking for someone.”

“Well I was looking for building number 222 but it looks like there’s only 221 and 223 here so I must have made a wrong turn somewhere. I don’t have anything to give you if you do help me anyways, but thanks for offering.”

“What makes you think I wouldn’t help you out of the kindness of my heart?” The man put on a mock woebegone look, fluttering his eyelashes. The more he spoke, the more Chase became aware of the fact that he had a light accent, something that he couldn’t quite place.

“Uh because no one in this neighborhood just offers to help people out of the kindness of their hearts? Everyone’s in it for something.”

“Wouldn’t need to help you much cause 222’s right here behind me.” The man hooked a thumb at the building that he was standing in front of and Chase just barely restrained himself from doing a double take. Sure enough, now there was a building labeled 222 right where it should be, in between 221 and 223.

“That…wasn’t there before…” Chase said slowly and the man laughed.

“Of course it wasn’t! It doesn’t exist until someone wants it to exist.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“Makes perfect sense to me! But you must have been looking for a person  _inside_  this building. Looking for just a building is the thing that doesn’t make any sense.”

“I mean, I guess I  _was_  looking for someone…” Chase admitted.

“Everyone’s always looking for someone,” The man said with a smile. “Only some people are looking for someone specific.”

Chase frowned. If this guy wasn’t doing it on purpose, he had a strange way of saying things and it was admittedly doing a fantastic job of irritating Chase. So if it wasn’t on purpose, then it was kind of impressive how vague he was being.

“I’m looking for someone people call “The Doctor”. Do you know him or do you have a vague anecdote about that sentence too?”

The man whistled.

“You were right to be wary about asking. Most people  _would_  ask for payment for information like  _that_.”

“So much for that kindness of your heart, huh?” Chase muttered, turning away to keep walking. “Never mind, I’ll just keep looking.”

“I never said I wouldn’t help you!” The man called after him and Chase turned back. “Obviously this is the right building so why are you walking away? It’s cold out, so I can help you and you can come inside and get warmed up.”

Again, Chase was wary that there was going to end up being a catch to all of this goodwill that he was being shown. But he followed the man up the stairs and inside nonetheless, welcoming the slight warmth of being inside away from the night chill. Once inside, in the light, he noticed that the man’s hair was a very dark green as opposed to black or brown as Chase had first thought. He followed the man down the hallways and up one flight of stairs to a plain, undecorated door. Chase peered around curiously at the rest of the hall, but strangely it seemed like this was the only door that he could see.

“Where’s everyone else?” He asked, and the man turned to look at him, pulling a ring of keys from his coat pocket and rifling through them.

“What do you mean?”

“There are no other rooms on this floor?”

“Sure there are. You just can’t see them because you don’t have need of them. Just like you couldn’t see the building until you had need to.” The man had finally found the right key and opened the door, flicking his wrist in a little gesture for Chase to go ahead of him. “After you.”

Chase gave him a funny look but obeyed, heading into the room.

It seemed bigger inside than Chase had thought, but then again, he had no clue how far away the other rooms really were from this one in the first place. It was even warmer inside than it was in the hallway, which Chase appreciated since it had been starting to get bitterly cold outside and he was only wearing a hoodie for protection against the chill. The man brushed past him to go further into the room (which was really more like a small apartment size), shedding his coat on the way and dropping it onto a chair that sat behind a messy desk.

“Make yourself comfortable,” He said with a wave of his hand. “Do you want something to drink? I was thinking about making some tea.”

“That sounds good,” Chase said as he took a seat in the chair that didn’t have a coat on it, thinking that, if nothing else, it would be a good way to warm his hands up. He wasn’t quite sure if he trusted this guy enough to drink anything that he was given. He thought briefly, longingly of his small warm apartment, wondering why he’d come on this fool’s errand in the first place. How had he been crazy enough to come all this way, to this place? He could be at home, drinking his own (non-poisoned) tea, working on editing a video, with his cat trying to sneak her way into his lap despite his laptop clearly being there.

Instead he was chasing a pipe dream, banking on one person who could work supposed miracles, who might not even help him, which meant his whole trip here would be for nothing.

And he had to face the walk back to the train station in this cold, at an even more ludicrous time of night than he’d walked here at.

Chase was so preoccupied with his thoughts and regrets that the sound of a cup being placed in front of him startled him. He glanced up and found the man smiling at him gently, noticing now in the proper light of the room that the man had mismatched eyes, one bright green and one black. It was like his pupil had swallowed his iris, leaving that eye an eerie black and white.

“I didn’t know if you wanted anything in your tea.” A nod down at the cup.

Chase took a couple of sugar cubes, just to be polite (he still wasn’t going to drink that tea), and slowly stirred them in, watching them dissolve into the liquid. Another cup was set down across from him and the man sat down, reaching out to take a few sugar cubes for himself. It was while he was doing so that Chase noticed that his hands were shaking ever so slightly, unnoticeable from anywhere but up close. He brushed it off as the man just might be cold still from being outside and leaned back in his chair, mug cupped in his own hands.

“I realized that I never said, but my name is Chase,” He said.

“Brave giving a stranger here your name, Chase.” His name was drawn out, sounding strange but nice with the man’s accent, and he frowned which made the man smile.

“I didn’t give you my full name though,” Chase retorted. “And do people really have that kind of power? I still don’t quite believe all of that stuff.”

“Oh it’s quite real,” The man said simply. “I myself cannot do anything with your name, if you’d like to believe me. So I cannot hurt you.”

“I don’t know if I believe you, but the sentiment is nice,” Chase said flatly and the man smiled again, a small quirk of his lips upwards.

“Henrik.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t know if I believe you, but the sentiment is nice,” Chase said flatly and the man smiled again, a small quirk of his lips upwards.
> 
> “Henrik.”

“Pardon?”

“My name. You gave me your name so it’s only fair of me to return the favor, is it not?”

Chase didn’t know how to feel about that, so he simply leaned back in his chair, mug still cupped in his hands untouched.

“You don’t know who the Doctor is, do you?” He said slowly. “I’m either wasting my time or you’re trying to trick me, aren’t you?”

Henrik toyed with his cup a little and Chase noticed that his hands were still shaking.

“You’re just some weird junkie, that’s why your hands are shaking right? Dammit, I didn’t come here just to get robbed or die!”

Henrik didn’t frown exactly, but his mismatched eyes narrowed and he curled his fingers, keeping them from shaking so much.

“I assure you, I’m going to do neither,” He said softly. “You interest me, I’m not going to hurt you. I do know where this person is you’re looking for and I can take you to him.”

“Oh you can, can you?” Chase crossed his arms. “You promise you’re not going to ask for anything in exchange?”

“I give my word. I will not ask for anything in exchange for escorting you to the person you are looking for. I also will not harm you or let any harm come to you.” Henrik’s voice was solemn and low, and he held out a hand after he’d finished speaking.

“What?” Chase said.

“This is a deal, Chase. If you really want to make certain that I’m going to keep my word, we need to make it official.”

Chase rolled his eyes but played along, reaching out to take Henrik’s hand.

Warmth sparked between their fingers.

Chase yelped, yanking his hand back, and Henrik smiled at him, slow and lazy.

“There, now it’s binding,” He said simply as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

“What the hell was that?” Chase asked, glancing suspiciously at his hand, which was still tingling faintly, phantom feeling of Henrik’s hand still there.

“What, you’ve never made a deal before? Sheltered, aren’t you? No one in your life desperate enough to make a deal?”

“Fuck off,” Chase said, but there was no venom in his tone. Henrik was right, Chase had heard of deals, but no one he knew closely had ever made one. He knew of people whose families were several generations deep in deals, trying desperately to pay them off. He also knew that most deals that were anything serious were extremely hard to pay off or get out of. You had to be very aware of the deal that you were making and any loopholes that could occur for either party.

And any magical creature worth their weight knew how to exploit a loophole. They had decades and decades of learning how to make deals.

In Chase’s opinion, any creature stupid enough to try and make a deal with the fae or a wizard (or any creature who could make a deal like this) deserved anything they got in return.

Yet here he was, seeking out one of these very creatures in order to make a deal.

Good thing that this one had been so easy to make.

Chase’s actual deal, what he wanted to achieve from it would be much more difficult to negotiate.

He could only hope that this Doctor would be as lenient as Henrik was.

Though Chase still wasn’t completely sure that Henrik wasn’t just toying with him…

He didn’t even know what Henrik was, though those mismatched eyes spoke of something not of this world. Witches and wizards usually didn’t have unusual features like fae or demons did, unless they were a byproduct of a human and one of those creatures.

Henrik was still smiling at him, as though he could sense Chase’s inner turmoil.

“What are we waiting for?” Chase said irritably, wanting that mismatched, soul deep gaze off of him. “I guess we have a deal, so you have to take me to the Doctor.”

“Indeed I do. And I already have.”

“What?” It took Chase’s brain a second or two to catch up, and when it did, all he could do was stare at the man who was seated across from him. “You’re…”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Indeed I do. And I already have.”
> 
> “What?” It took Chase’s brain a second or two to catch up, and when it did, all he could do was stare at the man who was seated across from him. “You’re…”

“That was the easiest deal I’ve ever fulfilled.” Henrik gave him a smug little smile. “Not that it’s your fault that you didn’t know. How could you?”

Chase set his mug down with a thump, now suddenly doubly glad that he hadn’t drank any.

“You’ve let your tea get cold,” Henrik said softly. “You didn’t even drink any of it, did you? That’s quite rude, you could have just said you didn’t want any in the first place.”

“I wasn’t about to drink something given to me by someone who is obviously some kind of fae,” Chase retorted. “I don’t know much about this kind of stuff, but I’m not that stupid.”

Henrik shrugged slightly, as if he wasn’t bothered one way or another.

“I don’t resort to those kinds of tactics, but you’re smart to think that.”

“How would I know what you would or wouldn’t resort to?” Chase asked. “I know almost nothing about you.”

“And yet you’re trusting me to help you. You  _do_  want my help, do you not? That’s why you’ve so bravely come all the way here. To find little old me.”

“I’ve heard that you help people. That you can grant wishes that no one else seems to be able to.”

“And how many of those do you think are an exaggeration of the truth?” Henrik asked softly. “How many of those are nothing but hearsay?”

“I  _don’t_  know,” Chase admitted. “But I’m willing to find out.”

“Clearly,” The green haired man’s tone wasn’t judging or pitying, but thoughtful. “You are quite brave. Not many people have the will to even seek me out, let alone make a deal with me. Which you already have, mind you. So you have now done more than most people ever hope to achieve. I don’t let many people even make deals with me. Most of them are far too inane for me to bother with.”

“Mine was pretty inane,” Chase pointed out and the Doctor shrugged.

“I was bored. You were of interest.”

So simple…

Like that was reason enough…

“If I’m so interesting, will you make a deal with me?”

Henrik leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other, resting his chin on his knuckles in mock thought.

“You seem like you have a pretty good life, Chase. What could you possibly want badly enough to seek out one of the fae to make a deal?”

“So you’re fae?”

“Mmmm I could be,” Henrik said lazily, mismatched eyes amused. “Would that matter to you?”

“I suppose not. I have no clue if there are different rules for making deals with different types of creatures. Also, how would you know if my life was good? I could be homeless for all you know.”

“Your clothes are a bit worn, but they’re clean and your nails are clean as well,” Henrik pointed out. “And before you say anything about stereotyping, you don’t smell like the outdoors.”

“What?”

“Every home has a different scent, but they’re all similar in small ways. I can tell if someone has a home or not.”

“I could be homeless but live in a shelter,” Chase pointed out. “Wouldn’t that be a sort of house?”

“I said home, not house. There is a difference. You have a  _home_  that is uniquely yours. You aren’t just staying in a shelter or with a friend, nor do you live outdoors.”

“So you’re telling me that you can tell that from how I smell?”

“If you want to believe it, that is up to you. But you can’t deny what I say.” Henrik leaned back in his chair. “Now were you wanting to make a deal or not?”

“If I’m not too boring, that is,” Chase shot back.

“Oh, I think I’m interested in you now, my dear. So tell me, what is this wish of yours? What is it that you want so badly that you were willing to come and find me?”

“I want my family back together again.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, I think I’m interested in you now, my dear. So tell me, what is this wish of yours? What is it that you want so badly that you were willing to come and find me?”  
> “I want my family back together again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to give a quick shout out to lace-maze for letting me yell at her about this fic bc she da best
> 
> Also note tag changes! TW for self harm/suicide references. I'll never make them really explicit but just thought I should mention it!

“Your family huh?” Henrik’s mismatched eyes were thoughtful. “What happened?”

“I don’t know why I should tell _you_ that.”

“You don’t have to, but it might help you get a favorable outcome.”

“Are you trying to blackmail me?” Chase asked and Henrik raised his hands in mock surrender.

“I most certainly am not. But perhaps if I understand the full story, then I can help you more effectively.”

“Do you have kids?” Chase asked. “Can fae have children?”

“Somehow I think you’re getting more information out of me than I am out of you,” Henrik said with a small smile. “Shouldn’t that be the other way around?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Chase said with a shrug. “Never dealt with fae before.”

“You keep calling me fae, yet I don’t recall ever confirming that I was fae or not,” Henrik pointed out. “But to answer your question, fae can in fact have children. I myself, fae or not, do not have any. I’m going to assume you do?”

Chase sighed. Henrik probably wouldn’t make any sort of deal with him without Chase giving him more information about why he wanted what he did. Resigned to telling a complete stranger the most secret part of his life, he settled back in his chair, much like Henrik already was.

“Fine, if you want details that badly,” He started. “My wife left me and took our two kids because she couldn’t handle the fact that I have depression. She really couldn’t handle it when I tried to kill myself because she left.”

Chase paused here, ready for the pitying comments, but the Doctor’s expression hadn’t changed. He was still leaning back in his chair, watching Chase with those mismatched eyes over steepled fingers.

“Is that enough detail for you? I just want my family back the way it was.”

“Seems like your wife leaving you had nothing to do with you,” Henrik commented softly. “However, I’m not sure if this would be a wise decision on your part.”

“What does it matter to you? I get what I want and you get something from me. Seems like an easy enough choice. Since when are fae concerned with the wellbeing of humans?” Chase spat.

Henrik shrugged slightly.

“I’m not particularly. I just felt I should warn you. I’ll make a deal with you to put your family back together.”

“What do I have to give you?”

“So eager to give something of yours up, aren’t you?” Henrik murmured. “I suppose nearly dying would make you that fearless. Can I ask though, are you alive because someone saved you or because you couldn’t go through with it?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Call it curiosity.”

Chase sighed through his nose and pushed up his sleeves, holding out his wrists. Plain on his pale skin were two reddened marks, one on each wrist, not quite healed. Faint marks could be seen around them where they’d been stitched up.

“To answer your question, a little of both. I nearly died, but I told my best friend and he called the police. They were able to revive me in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.”

Henrik reached out before meeting Chase’s eyes.

“May I?”

“I guess…”

The Doctor gently took both of Chase’s wrists in his hands, pulling them a bit closer to inspect the marks, brushing his shaking fingers over them lightly.

“These healed surprisingly well for what they are. You’re a strong person, Chase.”

“You think…?” Chase cleared his throat when his voice cracked and went embarrassingly breathy on the end of his sentence.

Everyone had been telling him that, yet the one person he _wanted_ to hear it from had never said it to him. Stacey had been content to just ignore his problems and when he was having a tough time. She’d never even visited him when he was in the hospital, had told him that she felt embarrassed because of the reason that he was there. But then again, she’d always been more content to focus on her own problems instead of letting him help or (God forbid) helping him with his. She’d known full well that he had frequent depressive episodes, had reassured him countless times that she didn’t care and that she would help him, but every time he’d asked for or wanted help, she’d found some way out of helping. Even when she knew that their kids made him feel better, she’d still taken them when they’d gotten their divorce, had made him out to be an unfit parent.

“A penny for those thoughts of yours?” Henrik asked, voice breaking Chase’s concentration.

And Chase wasn’t about to tell him that _he’d_ been the main subject of those thoughts, that having his (probably) fae tell him that he was a strong person meant more to him somehow than every other person who had told him put together.

“I hope that’s not the price for our deal,” He said, trying to make light of the situation.

“No, but I could easily make it so.” Teasing grin curling over Henrik’s mouth. “You seem flustered, might be fun.”

“Just tell me your price then, stop messing with me.”

“Accompany me on a job.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Just tell me your price then, stop messing with me.”  
> “Accompany me on a job.”

“What? On a job? What does that even mean?” Chase asked, taken aback by this odd request. He’d never heard of a price like this for any deal that he’d researched.

“Well for one, I can’t just sit around and wait for people to make deals with me. But for this trip, I’d like you to come with me. I’m going to visit someone who has yet to hold up their end of the deal, and I think it would be useful for you to see what happens to those people since you’ve heard so much about me.”

“Why are you making _that_ my price?” Chase asked.

“Would you rather pay something else?” Henrik asked with a mischievous smile. “I can hardly ask for your virginity, can I now?”

If he hadn’t been sure before, Chase was now doubly sure that he was blushing, hated that that question had made him blush so easily. And Henrik was still grinning at him, chin propped on his palms, like he was enjoying Chase’s discomfort.

Bastard.

“So I just have to go with you? I don’t have to do anything?” Chase asked, trying to get back on subject.

“You would just observe,” Henrik confirmed with a nod.

“And I wouldn’t be in any danger right? You won’t let anything hurt me?”

“For someone who has never made a deal, you sure are confident in covering your bases.”

“Like I said, I’m not stupid. I did do my research before I came here,” Chase said and Henrik held up shaking hands.

“Didn’t mean to offend,” He said softly, still smiling, almost like he was proud of Chase for sticking up for himself. “And no, I would not let any harm come to you. You would be under my protection. An impressive thing for a human to be, let me tell you. I don’t offer that to many.”

“So in exchange for you fixing my family, for bringing my wife and children back, I just have to accompany you on a job, in which I don’t have to do anything to help you and you won’t let me get hurt?” Chase found that he was actually enjoying himself, trying to think of any loophole that Henrik could possibly exploit. “And you’ll bring me straight here afterwards and let me go home?”

“My, my so untrusting,” The Doctor hummed. “I’m a perfect gentleman, I assure you. I will get you there and back in one piece, unharmed, in the same shape you are now.”

“Then I guess we have a deal.” Chase held out his hand, recalling their other small deal before and Henrik’s smile, if possible, grew even wider. He reached over the desk between them and took Chase’s hand and, as before, a tingling warmth spread from where their hands met and up Chase’s arm.

“Done,” Henrik said softly, that wicked smile still on his face and Chase was starting to worry that he’d missed something. “So as of right now, you have the pleasure of my protection, until we come back to this room. And when we are done, I’ll grant your wish.”

“Fine.” Chase crossed his arms. “Let’s get this over with then.”

“One would think you’re in a rush to be out of my company. But let me grab a few items and then we can be on our way.”

“I kind of am,” Chase muttered to himself, crossing his arms as Henrik left the room. But a glimpse of something silvery caught his eye and he unfolded his arms again to inspect his hand.

The hand that he had shaken Henrik’s with was now covered in a strange silvery pattern that curled over his skin in intricate swirls and loops. It went up to his wrist and had covered all of his fingers.

“Hey, mind telling me what this is about?” He asked as the Doctor came back into the room.

“What what’s about?” Henrik asked, setting the bag he had gotten down on the desk and leaning over to inspect the hand that Chase had thrust out at him. “Oh, that.”

“Yeah what is it?”

“It’s just a confirmation of our deal. It’ll go away once we’ve both fulfilled our end of the bargain.”

Like it was no big deal…

Well, if Henrik was going to be so nonchalant about it…

“Does it mean anything?”

“Well sure! It spells out our deal. Easy to read for anyone who knows how to read the runes.”

“Runes.” Chase looked down at his hand. “Is that what they are?”

“Very ancient forms of them, yes. Passed down through generations and generations of beings who grant wishes and make deals.”

“It’s weird but…kind of pretty?” Chase looked over the runes that covered his hand and wrist, turning his hand around to find that they even continued onto his palm. “I don’t necessarily like the announcement that I’ve made a deal with you though.”

Henrik laughed, putting his coat and a scarf on.

“If it’s any consolation, normal humans will just think it’s a cool tattoo. Only beings with any magic will be able to read the runes and know what it really is.”

Chase stood up.

“I don’t plan on keeping it long enough for people to start asking questions,” He said flatly.

“If it makes you feel any better, it’s also some proof of my protection,” Henrik said mildly. “And is that all you have for a jacket? You’re going to catch a cold running around in just a sweater like that.”

“What are you, my mom?” Chase griped. “I’ll be fine.”

Henrik only rolled his eyes and took his scarf off, wrapping it around Chase’s neck, easily avoiding his struggling.

“What the hell is your problem? I told you, I’ll be fine!” Henrik grinned, tugging the scarf into place. “You’re impossible, aren’t you?”

“I try.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re impossible, aren’t you?”  
> “I try.”

“Where are we even going?” Chase asked as they walked down the hallway of the building. He craned his neck to try and see other doors but still couldn’t see any other than the one they had just come out of.

“Not too far,” Henrik replied. “The person I’m paying a visit to lives in this area of the city. However, he lives in a part that only magical beings can access.”

“Wait, you make deals with…people like you? What could they possibly need? I thought you guys only made deals with humans.”

“They need more than you might think,” The Doctor said darkly. “And it’s about half and half, honestly, the kind of people I make deals with. Half of the time they’re human, and the other half they’re not so human.”

“Are you ever gonna tell me what _you_ are?” Chase asked.

“Only if you guess correctly,” Henrik said in a sing-song voice. “But do you really need to know? Where’s the fun, the mystery, in that?”

“So you don’t only make deals with humans. What was this guy’s deal, that he hasn’t paid you back yet?”

“You’ll find out when we get there.”

“You really like this whole “mysterious” shtick, don’t you?” Chase grumbled. Shivering when the wind bit into his exposed skin, he tugged his borrowed scarf up over his mouth and nose, now kind of grateful that Henrik had stuck it on him.

Though he would never admit that, ever…

They’d come out of the building and were heading down the street in the direction that Chase had come from. Only instead of continuing straight to the subway, Henrik led him down an alleyway, much to Chase’s suspicion and displeasure.

“And why are we going down this creepy alley?”

Henrik turned to him, mismatched eyes solemn.

“Chase, I did promise that I would let no harm come to you. And that does apply to myself as well. You are perfectly safe.”

“Alright, alright.” Chase held up his hand in surrender. “Can I ask you some questions?” He asked as they walked.

“I think you’ve already started the moment we met,” Henrik said teasingly. “But go ahead.”

“I’m assuming your eye color is because you’re not human.”

“Perhaps.”

“Henrik, I already know you’re not human, you can stop doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Avoiding the question! I don’t know _what_ you are, but I know you’re not human, so can we move past that?”

Henrik laughed softly.

“Whatever you’d like darling.”

They’d reached the back of the alley by now and Chase peered around Henrik’s shoulder at the very blank, very solid brick wall that they were facing.

“What, are you gonna “Harry Potter” this?” He asked. “Seems kinda cliché if you ask me.”

“What would you do if I did?” With that, Henrik reached out to trace an unfamiliar shape onto one of the bricks in the wall. But instead of sliding apart, the bricks simply…melted away under the Doctor’s fingers, leaving a hole in their wake.

“Close enough…” Chase muttered, following Henrik through the doorway that had been left. There was a hum of sorts against his skin as he passed through, the same kind of hum that happened whenever Henrik had touched his skin, when they’d made those deals. Chase figured that it meant there was magic about. He turned as they went through, watching the bricks melt back into existence behind them.

“So why _are_ your eyes two different colors?” Chase asked, jogging a little to catch back up with the Doctor.

“Same reason as this.” Henrik held up his shaking hands. “Got caught on the bad end of a very nasty spell.”

“Someone did that to you?”

Henrik laughed bitterly.

“I only wish I could blame someone else. No, I did this to myself. Bit off more than I could chew and the backlash was a bit violent. Of course, I was much younger and much more foolish than I am now. Still, no one to blame but myself.”

Chase was suddenly a bit ashamed that he had called the Doctor a junkie earlier and said so. Henrik shrugged, unbothered.

“How could you have known? You wouldn’t have the knowledge necessary to know otherwise.”

“What kind of spell was it?” Chase asked.

“A stupid one.” Henrik seemed content to leave it at that so Chase switched gears.

“Why do people call you the Doctor?”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What kind of spell was it?” Chase asked.
> 
> “A stupid one.” Henrik seemed content to leave it at that so Chase switched gears.
> 
> “Why do people call you the Doctor?”

“Ah, a silly nickname, that is. Mainly I think it’s because I’m known for working so-called “miracles” for people, when in reality, I’m just very good at making it look like I’ve worked a miracle. Those people paid very dearly for their wishes, Chase. They’re not miracles.”

He left Chase to think about that statement as they walked, though Chase was sure to stick pretty close by. He was well aware that he was a human in the midst of a predominantly Fae community, and he didn’t want to lose the only protection that he had.

Though he wasn’t quite sure how much protection Henrik would really offer him.

He hoped it was enough…

Then he was too busy looking around to think about that. Because the place they had left, the alley, even the area outside of the alley, had been largely empty and barren. 

Walking through that wall had been like walking into a completely different world, which Chase supposed was technically true. 

Either way, it was a brightly colored, crowded world, with people mingling around various shops that lined the streets. 

And the people themselves were something to behold.

Some looked almost human, like Henrik did. But some looked intensely  _not_  human, with fur, feathers, horns. Chase watched a man with goat legs walk in the other direction, and then a woman with brightly colored feathers like a bird of paradise call out to people on the street, trying to sell her wares. 

The shops were a whole different spectacle than the people, but no less fascinating. Chase couldn't even begin to try to identify the various food that people were selling, some he wasn't even sure  _was_ food. There were also books and trinkets that he was sure were for various different things (spells, maybe? Rituals? Chase wasn't sure he wanted to know what those things that looked like bones were for. Neither did he want to know what kind of bones they were.).

"You should see your face right now." Chase looked up quickly and realized that Henrik was watching him, wearing an almost fond expression. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chase demanded.

"I know it's a lot to take in, is all," Henrik said with a shrug. Chase was about to reply when Henrik's eyes narrowed and he reached out suddenly to snag the back of a small creature's shirt.

Creature, because it didn't look human at all to Chase. Smaller than him, it looked like the goat-legged man from before, only this creature looked half deer, half like a young boy. He had deer-like ears and small horns nearly hidden in shaggy brown hair.

And he had Chase's wallet clutched in one hand.

Chase hadn't even felt the deer boy touch him, much less snag his wallet from his jacket pocket. 

Henrik still had hold of the boy's shirt, despite his struggles to get away. 

"I think that belongs to my charge, little one," Henrik said, smoothly reaching over to take the wallet back from the deer boy. "I'll thank you to pay more attention next time and to not steal from those bound to me."

The boy looked between Henrik and Chase with wide eyes, which somehow widened even more when Henrik reached out to hold up Chase's marked hand. 

"I didn't know he was with you, Doctor," He whispered. 

"Obviously," Henrik said with a smile. "Now, were you acting under someone else's orders? If it's food you need, I can help you. I'm not completely heartless, despite what you all seem to think."

A small crowd had gathered, Chase had noticed, of people watching them curiously. He heard a couple whispers of Henrik's name and his nickname.

He also noticed a taller man lurking at the outsides of the crowd, eyes dark under his hood. When the deer boy didn't answer in favor of looking around nervously, Chase touched Henrik's arm, glancing over at the man when the Doctor looked at him questioningly. 

"Ah," Henrik said. "I see. Hello old friend, why are you sulking back there? Was your little errand boy not as effective as you wanted him to be?" 

The man frowned and stepped forward through the crowd, and the deer boy yelped when the man made eye contact with him, cowering behind Henrik.

"He doesn't seem very willing to do your dirty work. Did you think the human would be an easy target for him?" Henrik reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of odd looking coins, which he gave to the boy.

"Go on and don't fall for working for someone like  _him_ again." Henrik then handed Chase his wallet back. "Keep a hold of that, alright?"

"You can't just dismiss my workers like that, Henrik," The man said as the deer boy ran off. His voice was low and quiet, but somehow it just...scared Chase to no end. Listening to it made him feel like he was drowning in something cold and dark, like he was lost in an endless maze with no hope of escape.

It made him feel helpless.

He must have made a sound or something, because suddenly he was being pushed behind Henrik. Once the man's line of sight was broken, Chase realized that he was shaking and he reached out to grip Henrik's long coat, just to keep his hands from trembling so much. The Doctor turned a little at that and took Chase's marked hand.

"Easy," He murmured. "You're quite alright, you're safe."

Calm washed over Chase, sweeping away the feeling of helplessness, the feeling that he was prey. And now that it was gone, all he could feel was embarrassment at being so useless, at being the person who needed saving. After he'd tried to kill himself, after the whole thing with Stacey, he had vowed that he would never need saving, that he would take care of himself, that he didn't need anyone.

And yet, with one look, with one sentence, this Fae had reduced him to near tears, desperately clutching at the first source of comfort that he could get. 

(The fact that he'd reached to Henrik for comfort was something he wasn't going to think too much about...)

"Your newest human toy seems quite breakable, Henrik. You might want to keep him on a bit tighter of a leash if you're going to take him out in public."

Chase glanced between the two, taking care not to look at the man for too long in fear of making eye contact again.

"What does that mean?" He asked, looking back at Henrik.

"It means what it sounds like, little human," The man said simply. "If Henrik is going to take human toys, then he needs to take care of them properly."

"What, should I be sending them out to steal for me, Airial? That seems counterproductive to me."


End file.
